Protecting Her - Alexis Noelle Page 0,33

under her legs and the other around her back, lifting her out of the car. As I slowly walk up the steps, I place a kiss on her forehead. Once inside, I carry her upstairs to the bedroom. I can tell she is exhausted from everything and I think what she needs right now more than anything is some rest. I lay her down on the bed and she pulls the blankets up to her face. I sit there with her, providing the support and comfort I know she needs.

After a few minutes, she falls asleep and I walk over to the bathroom. I need a shower to wash this day and the memory of that damn rose away. That damn detective is probably too focused on me to even look at anyone else. The guy could be hiding right under our noses and he wouldn’t give a shit. I don’t get what the hell I did to land on his radar but its bullshit.

I step into the glass shower, letting the hot water run over me. My hands are pressed against the wall in front of me. I can’t believe this girl has crawled under my skin in such a short amount of time. I never imagined when I chose her that night that we would be where we are now. She consumes my every thought, my every decision. Love was not something I ever considered. It was nothing that I wanted. I still don’t know if it is.

When I open my eyes I jump; Sam is standing right in front of me, naked. Her arms wrap around my middle like she is holding on for her life.

“I woke up and you were gone.”

I take a deep breath and hold her close to me. “I’m here.” We stand there like that for the longest time before I loosen my grip, grabbing the soap and slowly rubbing circles of it on her back. Once I’m done, I pull away from her and continue my path. I wash every single inch of her; the entire time she doesn’t let go of me.

When I’m done, I look into her eyes. “I will take care of you, Samantha Baker. I will protect you with my life. You are mine and no one will come near you.”

She leans up and kisses me, pouring her need into me. Letting me know what she wants from me. I pull away from her, not wanting to push her. Not knowing if she can handle this right now.

“Make love to me, Hunter.”

I still. Make love to her.

Every instinct in me wants to run.

The weight of her words seems to be crushing me.

Love.

Chapter Seventeen

Samantha

I need him right now. I need him to calm all the fears running through me. I need him to tell me that it will be okay. I need him to love me the way that I love him.

I can see the fight or flight instinct all over him. He is deciding on whether or not to run, to leave me here. I don’t know what I would do if he did. I’m sure my mother has heard by now; do you think she would call? Nope.

Hunter reaches around me, turning off the water. I want to question him but I don’t. I’m hesitant to say anything. I feel like I might have scared him off with my request. He steps out of the shower and returns with a towel. He runs it over my body, drying all of the excess water without a sound. He throws the towel on the floor before turning back toward me.

I search his eyes for some clue to what he is feeling, what his plans are. But I find nothing. I want to run out of the room and hide from embarrassment. Hunter wraps his arms around me, lifting me up and I instinctively wrap my legs around him. We walk silently out of the bathroom until we are standing in front of the bed. I run my hand through his hair, trying to provide reassurance for him that I’m not going anywhere. That he won’t lose me. His mouth presses against mine as he lowers me to the bed.

“Samantha Baker, the way you make me feel scares the shit out of me. It makes me want to run. I have told myself for years that I wouldn’t let anyone in, that no one was worth the pain of possibly losing someone I loved again. You proved me wrong. You